SGPC to boost its Raipur Sikh Mission to uplift Sikligar Sikhs
AMRITSAR: Under a plan to uplift Sikligar Sikhs and other underprivileged sections of Sikhs residing in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to strengthen its Raipur Sikh Mission, which was established to spread Sikhism in the region. Sikligar Sikhs are blacksmiths and traditionally engaged in making weapons and tools.
The SGPC move comes in response to recommendations of its sub-committee that conducted a survey on Sikhs belonging to Sikligar, Vanjara and Lubana communities.
The purpose of the survey was to get first-hand information about the conditions these Sikhs are living in and take measures accordingly.
The panel submitted its report to SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar recently.
“Sikligar Sikhs are living in pitiable conditions and they don’t even have proper houses. As far their educational level, hardly any youth from this section would have passed matric in the absence of any school in the area where they live”, says the report, a copy of which is with HT.
It says Sikligars have been making weapons and tools since the period of sixth Sikh master Guru Hargobind.
“They have no option other than this to meet their both ends, but the respective state governments are booking them under the Arms Act illegitimately and putting them behind the bars even as they do not have any criminal record,” said Bhai Ram Singh, an SGPC executive member who was in the sub-committee which went to MP for the survey.
As the report has highlighted the cases of 40 Sikligar Sikhs who are serving imprisonment under the Arms Act in MP, the SGPC has announced to give legal assistance to them in contesting their cases.
The SGPC would also send a deputation to MP, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra to meet their chief ministers to raise various issues related to Sikligar Sikhs, said Ram Singh.
Observing that Sikligar Sikhs are integral part of the Sikh community, Badungar said some recommendations of the report have been approved. These include accommodating children of Sikligar Sikhs in its technical institutions and teaching stitching to women.
Besides, frequent religious congregations would also be held in their residential areas to strengthen Sikh ethos among them and bring them closer to the community.
The report also recommended taking help of rich Sikhs in respective areas and persuading them to give Sikligars jobs in their businesses or help them in other ways. SGPC officials said they are also contemplating setting up schools to educate the children of these neglected sections.
MISSION WILL ALSO TAKE WELFARE MEASURES FOR OTHER UNDERPRIVILEGED SIKHS RESIDING IN CHHATTISGARH, MP AND MAHARASHTRA